Thermal imaging, also referred to as infrared thermography, involves the use of thermal imaging cameras that are configured to detect radiation in the infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum. The output from thermal cameras can be used to generate thermograms that represent the amount of infrared energy that is emitted, transmitted, and/or reflected by objects within the field of view of the thermal imaging camera.
Thermal imaging is used in a number of commercial and industrial applications. For example, thermal imaging can be used in surveillance systems to detect the presence of humans or other warm-blooded animals. Thermal imaging can also be used to detect vehicles or other equipment that has a thermal signature that differs from the background. Furthermore, thermal imaging systems can be used in low light conditions and in foggy, rainy, and smoky conditions where visible light camera system may be ineffective.
Conventional thermal video systems include a thermal camera that captures thermal video data and performs a quantization step on the captured video, and analytics software that processes the captured video to identify events that may require a response. For example, in a surveillance system that includes a thermal camera, the video analytics software can be configured to detect the presence of people or warm-blooded animals in a restricted area, such as an airport, a manufacturing facility, military installation, or other restricted access area. The analytics software can also be configured to detect vehicle activity within the area being monitored by the thermal camera.